Just Close Your Eyes
by Isildur's Heiress
Summary: Naomi, Vivian, Lauren and Benny have lived through a lot in the last 24 hours, and this is just the beginning. Azog the Defiler has taken from them all that they have ever loved and they have been sent into Middle Earth to get it back. Third and final installment of "Found" Trilogy.
1. Chapter 1

Just Close Your Eyes

Rated T

Summary: Naomi, Vivian, Lauren and Benny have lived through a lot in the last 24 hours, and this is just the beginning. Azog the Defiler has taken from them all that they have ever loved and they have been sent into Middle Earth to get it back. Third and final installment of "Found" Trilogy.

Disclaimer: Tolkien gave life to the characters that I love, Peter Jackson gave them the faces I've come to know. As for me? I'm playing with them in my writing-sandbox. I'll give them back eventually. Maybe. Probably not though.

* * *

It felt like falling. There was no end, no sadness, no grief. Only the sensation of air flowing past the back of her head, only the absent knowledge that Benny and her mom and her aunt were close by and falling with her. Naomi didn't know when or how she came to be lying in the poor straw mattress, hell she couldn't remember what had happened to the others. As she sat up in bed she felt burdened with new purpose. Gandalf had told them that they would have to win their beloved's hearts back, that meant that Kili would not remember her, Thorin wouldn't either, or Fili. They wouldn't remember the children, or _anything._ That thought alone nearly brought Naomi to tears.

Making up her mind she called into the surrounding darkness. "Mo-om? Auntie? Benny?"

A strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back down onto the bed with a shriek. "Oy! None of that! Back to bed with you."

Naomi almost screamed with joy and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Kili! Oh my god you're alive! I had such a bad dream!"

Kili found himself rolling off of the bed with a small body that had just tackled him.

"Oomph! A'right lass!" Gingerly untangling her hands from his hair he spoke gently. "I didn't know I'd died. Maybe if I get more mornings like this I'll do it a bit more."

His tone was playful and he flipped them over, kissing Naomi deeply. Her heart cracked a bit more as she realized that she hadn't dreamt it.

Naomi scrambled out from underneath him and blushed. "I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else. Didn't mean to act like that. Sorry."

Kili got back up on the bed and chuckled. "I don't suppose it's unusual for a woman of your….erm…. Particular trade."

Naomi quirked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Kili started his sentence but was quickly cut off by the sound of ceramics being thrown against the neighboring wall. A woman's unintelligible shouts echoed through the walls shortly afterward, a powerful male voice overlapping it within seconds.

Naomi winced. "Who is in that room?"

Kili, too, was wincing. "Uncle Thorin. Dear Aule, he always gets the fiery ones."

Naomi laughed dryly. If she woke up in Kili's bed she had a reasonable guess as to where Vivian had ended up. "You have no idea."

Naomi walked out of the bedroom just in time to see Lauren and a very shirtless Fili sharing a soft kiss. "Thank you." Naomi almost retched at Fili's gentlemanly comment and her mother's subsequent giggle. Bypassing them and knocking on Thorin's door Naomi braced for screaming and shouting.

What she found was almost more terrifying.

"You weren't complaining about height last night were you?" Thorin's voice was seductive and his hands were pulling Vivian closer by her hips. It was fairly apparent that they had just shared a deep, mind-numbing kiss.

Naomi cleared her throat awkwardly. "Viv, we need to go. Now."

Vivian pulled away and ran after Naomi and Lauren down the hall, nearly crying.

Once the girls were in the quiet of the stables they did start crying. Loss stung them with new fervor and the shocked happiness of waking up with their lovers quickly faded as they realized that those Dwarves at the inn were not the men that they had come to think of as their lovers. They were what they had been before, and the girls would just have to make do.

Lauren voiced the thought that they were all having. "One helluva first morning in Middle Earth. Thanks Gandalf."

* * *

A.N. Thanks for Reading! RnR


	2. Right Where We Need to Be

Chapter 2. Right Where We Need to Be.

The girls straightened and made up their minds to find Benny and Gandalf. Naomi noticed that they weren't wearing the bloodstained Kevlar, t-shirts and jeans that they had been in yesterday, instead they had on satin nightgowns that fell to their knees. Lauren's was a soft sky blue, Vivian's a deep royal blue, and Naomi's was slivery grey, each had thin spaghetti straps and a cloudy crystal heart hanging at the apex of the neckline.

Vivian nodded her head toward the dresses. "Gandalf?"

Naomi nodded. Lauren still looked about ready to cry, but Naomi walked closer to her mother and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The pair were joined by Vivian as they approached the door, and they each took in a deep breath through their noses, releasing it slowly through pursed lips.

"Let's go." Vivian said, looking ahead at the wooden door before them.

They entered and were met with the stern grey gaze of Gandalf the Grey. "It's about time. I have a bag of necessities for each of you. Go get dressed and we will go and retrieve young Benjamin."

Naomi looked to Gandalf curiously. "Where is Benny?"

"Right where he needs to be. Now go! We must make haste!" Gandalf made shooing motions toward the three girls, after handing them each a small muslin backpack. Naomi stuck out her tongue petulantly at Gandalf and bounded up the stairs, giggling when he returned the gesture, after her mother and aunt.

* * *

Benny, meanwhile, was scared shitless.

He didn't now how or why, but he had woken up curled around a child-sized person who looked exactly like his ex-boyfriend! This small person upon waking entangled in the octopus-like, lengthy appendages that belonged to Benny, wriggled away so fiercely that he fell off of the side of the bed.

Benny rushed to his aid and found that the little person (little with the exception his feet, which appeared abnormally large and hairy, even for humans) had effectively put himself back to sleep. Benny chuckle-sighed and rearranged the small man on his bed and went to find the ingredients for tea and possibly for cheese biscuits.

Benny puttered around the kitchen, slowly gathering the ingredients for his cheese biscuits. He threw some batter together and onto a greased equivalent of a cookie sheet. After he put his biscuits into the oven, Benny looked around for some tea. Rather than finding the teabags that he was used to, he found loose leaves. He found peach, chamomile, and some Earl Grey. Benny chose the peach tea and set the kettle to boil over the fire, attempting to arrange himself in an armchair in the livingroom.

* * *

When Bilbo woke about a half an hour later, with a pounding head, and the assumption that the raven-haired, pale-skinned, exceedingly tall man with which he had woken earlier, was simply a dream. Suddenly the smell of baking cheese biscuits and fresh tea hit his nostrils, and Bilbo was convinced that he was hallucinating. That is until the spindly body stretched across his armchair, sipping tea and alternatively taking minuscule bites of the biscuit in his hand, convinced him otherwise.

Benny looked up at the soft sound of padding feet on the hardwood floor. "Good morning."

Bilbo was rather shocked by the young man's cordial tone, and even more so by the shocking blue of his eyes. "G-good morn-ning."

"Well are you going to just stand there gaping?" Benny was a bit irritated by the small person's silence.

"I'm sorry. I don't quite know you. What was your name?" Bilbo was bewildered. How could this person feel so familiar, when Bilbo was sure he had never seen him in his life?

"Right. Of course, where are my manners?" Benny extended his hand. "Benjamin Jones, at your service. Do call me Benny"

Bilbo gave the extended hand an incredulous look, and bowed low. "Bilbo Baggins at yours. Now were those cheese biscuits and peach tea that I smelled?"

* * *

A.N. Bilbo/Benny! I hope that this chapter was good for you guys! As always RnR!


	3. Refusal, Bonds and Traveling

A.N. I'm sorry this chapter took so long! RL kinda invaded and then this chapter decided that it was going to play "I Don't Wanna!" with me. I finally got it to stop and sit down and be written. I hope you enjoy and, as always, RnR!

* * *

Chapter 3. Refusal, Bonds and Traveling

Naomi, Vivian and Lauren were seated on horses within minutes of dressing and coming back down stairs. Gandalf had given them each a loose-fitting, long sleeved, white shirt, a leather vest, knee-length tweed trousers, and oilskin shoes with leather soles.

The girls and Gandalf mounted their horses, all of them having had some experience on a horse, and began the ride from the inn near the Bradywine Bridge to Hobbiton. Gandalf filled them in on the particulars of this journey as they traveled. The dwarves - their husbands and boyfriend included- were on a quest to reclaim their ancestral home and they would enlist the help of one Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit.

Vivian quirked an eyebrow. "Where do we come in? How are we supposed to help? And where in Hell is _Benny_?!"

Gandalf smiled that annoying Wizard Smile. "All in good time. Now your husbands and boyfriend will not know you beyond the fact that you were the women that they woke up with this morning." Gandalf's face fell to a contemplative scowl "There will be a point at which their memories will come back, but it will not be soon and it will not be an easy point to reach. Young Benjamin has an altogether different task ahead of him. You recall that I told him that he would find himself with a tattoo like the three of yours when in Middle Earth?"

Naomi gasped, "Oh my God! The _Hobbit_?!"

Gandalf nodded, smiling impishly. "Should be getting the scare of their mutual lives right about _now._"

* * *

Funny enough, that was exactly what was happening.

Bilbo was puttering about cleaning up the second-breakfast dishes and Benny was still stretch-curled in the armchair by the fire, fingers folded on his lap, and deep in thought.

A great clatter echoed from the kitchen and out of instinct Benny quickly got up to see what the matter was, ignoring the growing itch and burn of a half-dollar sized spot just below his wrist. Benny jogged into the kitchen and, seeing Bilbo on the floor with broken plates beside him and clutching his wrist, rushed to his side.

"Bilbo? What's happened? Have you cut yourself?" Benny tried not to let panic creep into his voice, but something inside him told him that he was failing miserably.

Bilbo looked up at him and spoke through his teeth, Show me your wrist." When Benny hesitated, thinking that Bilbo was going mad worrying about someone else when he was in obvious pain, Bilbo became forceful-read pleading and adorable-. "Please! Master Benjamin, I have to be sure. Please."

Benny didn't have the heart or the will power to resist and he rolled up his sleeve, exposing the spot on his wrist that had, by this time, welted. Bilbo drew a breath and looked down at the floor, something like despair in his eyes.

"Bilbo, what the devil is going on?" Benny was worried more and more about Bilbo. "Show me your wrist please." He pushed as he recalled Naomi and Kili's matching tattoos and what they had meant.

Bilbo let go of his wrist and showed the welted red circle, a design faintly raised in the skin. Benny sucked in a breath through his teeth as the pain in his wrist mounted and flashed, testing his will power to the limit. A dam broke inside the young man and the Hobbit at the same moment and they collapsed forward. Their foreheads touched and the itch-burn-stab of the pain flashed again, drawing a low moan from Bilbo and a sharp hiss from Benny. Slowly the pain ebbed, but neither of them moved as they lay, panting, hands touching, on the kitchen floor.

Bilbo got up and left Benny in a state of limbo a few moments after they had stopped panting. His head was spinning and he needed to sort his thoughts.

_**Nothing better for that than some Old Toby and fresh air. **_He thought. Bilbo took his pipe and went to sit out on the bench in his front-lawn. Bilbo had been smoking contentedly for a few moments when suddenly the smoke form the smoke-ring he had just blown condensed and hit him in the face.

Opening his eyes, shocked, he saw before him he saw a rather large man, dressed entirely in grey and with an immense pointy hat, also grey. Bilbo noticed that there were also three rather pretty girls astride horses just a bit farther down the lane.

"Good Morning." Bilbo said, thinking that he may as well be polite.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good on this particular morning; or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?"

Heh? Bilbo had no idea what this man had just said, and being sufficiently shaken already, was only further flustered by this return. "Erm. All of them at once, I suppose? Can I help you?"

"That remains to be seen. I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."

Bilbo's eyes went wide, and he began to gesticulate with his pipe. _**Too many adventures already this morning. **_He did not speak his thoughts, instead replying, "An adventure? No, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in an adventure. Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things that make you late for dinner, Mm hm."

Bilbo got up, cast another furtive glance at the man standing on the other side of his gate, and he opened his mailbox to retrieve his mail. Deciding to end this overly odd conversation. "Good morning."

The Man in Grey clucked his tongue and spoke as if disappointed. "To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I were selling buttons at the door."

Now he was just being irritating. "Beg your pardon?"

"You've changed Bilbo Baggins, and not entirely for the better."

Ha! That was a laugh. This crazy man couldn't possibly know him! Bilbo decided to find out, "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

"Well you know my name, although you don't remember that I belong to it. I'm Gandalf! And Gandalf means…me."

Oh. Ohhh! Okay, that's a bit better. " Gandalf….not Gandalf the wandering Wizard who made such excellent fireworks! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Ha, ha! Well. Hmm, I had no idea you were still in business."

Irritation danced briefly across the Wizard's eyes. "And where else should I be?"

Bilbo puffed on his pipe confusedly. "Ha, ha! Hm, hmm."

Gandalf nodded to himself and pounded his staff on the ground once. "Well I'm pleased that you remember something about me, even if it's only my fireworks. Well that's decided. It'll be good for you and most amusing for me. I shall inform the others."

Bilbo very nearly did a spit-take. "Inform the who? What? No. No. No! Wait. We don't want any adventures here, thank you. Not today, not-mmm. I suggest you try Over the Hill, or Over the Water. Good morning."

Bilbo rushed back in to his Hobbit-hole to meet the curious eyes of Benny.

"What was that about?" Benny asked confused

"Shh!" Bilbo had heard a strange sound on the other side of the door. He peered out of the side-window and suddenly jumped back and into Benny's arms, startled by the blue eye that had popped, seemingly, out of nowhere.

Benny raised and eyebrow at the Hobbit in his arms. Bilbo stalked off muttering something about "Damnable Wizards. An adventure? Ha!"

Benny shook his head and chuckled. For the first time he got a really good look at the new addition to the pigment of his wrist. It was a semi-circular, green Celtic knot, three lines twisted and converged to form a pentagon in the middle and an image akin to rolling waves on the outer edges. Benny recalled what little knowledge of Celtic knots, they were tattooed for bonding. Bonding. That meant. _Shit. "BILBO!"_

* * *

The girls had waited patiently further down the lane laughed and traded what little money they had between themselves when Gandalf came back grinning like a wolf, and chuckling. "Textbook refusal. Going to love the look on Lobelia's face when she sees the bonding tattoo."

"Who's Lobelia?" Lauren asked.

Gandalf grinned wider. "His ex-intended. A Sackville-Baggins."

"How is this relevant?" Vivian asked, deadpan.

"That family has been trying to get back into favor with the Bagginses for generations. Always have just barely missed the mark." Gandalf's low chuckles bubbled into full belly guffaws. Vivian and Naomi looked at each other, communicating their mutual agreement on Gandalf's failing mental faculties. Lauren just counted her gold.


	4. To Traipse Along The Road Alone

Chapter 4. To Traipse Along The Road Alone

"What? Gandalf, no!" Vivian was aghast that the Wizard would even make that sort of suggestion. "You have no idea what that would do to them!"

Gandalf looked pensively across the fire at the woman. "Quiet yourself. I don't want them to wake. My darling, this needs to happen, whether on not it is completely agreeable they both need to grow out of your protection a bit."

"Out of my protection? Gandalf that would be throwing them to the emotional wolves! Especially for Lauren! Naomi is accustomed to being without Kili, but Lauren isn't! She raised children with Fili! Was married to him for eight years!"

Gandalf looked almost sad. "I know. Vivian it has to happen. You forget that you have to be with Thorin as well."

"How could I forget? Gandalf, he was a big part of my life for _ten years_. I had his children, I helped him through school and sickness and learning our world. I loved him. Still love him." Vivian sighed and focused her gaze on the center of the fire, as if it could bring her back to those days.

"I know I can handle seeing him again. I know it. I'm scared that they won't be able to, that they will just sort of _die_." Tears streaked Vivian's face, but her voice never lost the cold, expressionless tone.

"Gandalf, I've tried to keep everyone I ever truly loved safe all of my life. All of them are now hurt, dead, dying, or changed so entirely from the people I came to love that I don't know them. For the first time in my life I don't have an immediate plan and a few backups. I'm lost."

Gandalf could see the pain that the young woman tried so hard to conceal reflected in her cinnamon-chocolate eyes. "You will be found. For now I would advise closing your eyes and getting some rest. Dream a dream of a simpler time."

"Good night, Uncle." Vivian said just before she rolled away from the light of the fire.

* * *

_Bullet holes from floor to ceiling, bodies peppered with knife and bullet wounds, blood stains and mud obscuring what was once a cream-colored shag carpet told a story that the first on-scene officers would not forget for years to come. Not that anyone who was on the case would ever forget the carnage, the sheer disaster that was the remains of the Durin household. _

_Officer Carla DiEndes had come across perhaps the most gruesome part of the crime scene. The bodies of the three Durin men had been severed at the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle and nailed to pieces of plywood to spell the sentence _"Revenge Is Sweet." _The heads had been set on pikes and stood at each end of the end of the sign, with the apparent patriarch, Thorin's head between. _

_The bodies of the children and three women were never found.( Neighbors had given the police information as to another young woman having been at the scene during the time of incident) It is unknown whether or not the women and children are alive, the police suspect that they were either taken to be sold, raped, or killed somewhere else._

* * *

_**Ami was scared. She didn't know what had happened to her parents and the rest of the adults, but there had been a lot of shooting going on and once it had stopped police sirens and ambulances arrived and began bumbling about the house. Eventually the house quieted and she knew that she had to get her five remaining family members out of the house and safe. Ami called to her little sister, waking her with as much gentility she could project. **_

"_**Dis!" Her little sister jumped when she heard her name but detached from her brothers to run into her sister's arms. "Can you get Mark and Alex to get as much food as possible into their backpacks?"**_

_**Dis nodded, unsure whether or not to bother her sister with questions or not. She wormed her way back into the huddle that was her worried brothers and communicated to them what Ami needed done and the apparent need to leave off questioning her to a later date. Mark and Alex immediately took the miniature hiking backpacks that their father had put into the small closet and began filling it with the food that their mother and father had stored about the small room.**__**Ami picked up and dusted off her two cousins and set them about finding good jeans and warms shirts for them all to wear and packing them into her hiking backpack. She noticed that none of the others were questioning her about why they had to do this, and none of them were whining about being hungry.**_

_** After handing a small bottle of water and a pack of peanut butter crackers to her siblings and cousins, Ami herself raided the safe of all of it's ammunition and weaponry. Two Walther PPKS's with four ten-round clips and hip and ankle holsters, for Ami's personal use, and three Beretta Tomcats, each with two seven-round clips, and hip holsters for the triplets. Ami almost faltered as she thought about how proud she had been when her father had finally decided to teach the triplets how to shoot only about seven months ago as a sixth birthday present. They had, of course, taken to the small firearms like ticks to blood and had an eighty-nine percent accuracy rate with moving targets and a ninety-seven percent with nonmoving. They had far surpassed their older sister but recently they had all become out of practice and she had no idea about the capabilities of her cousins.**_

"_**Charlie, Lilli!" The pair looked up from folding the clothes and came over to her. "Do you shoot?"**_

_**They both shook their heads and Ami sent a silent prayer to the Heavens. "Alright. Get back to what you were doing. We need to start moving."**_

_**A few more supplies and Ami fitted Kevlar to her siblings and cousins, tucking the Tomcat holsters beneath the slightly overlarge windbreakers of her brothers and sister, and slipping small knives into the tops of her cousin's boots. "Let's go."**_

_**The six children shouldered food and clothes-laden backpacks and slipped out the back door, into the night.**_

* * *

The next morning Vivian woke with a start and saw that Lauren was already awake and making breakfast. Tears threatened to overflow her eyes as she looked up.

"You saw-?" Vivian was still reeling from the shock of seeing her children prepare and leave the only house that they had ever known. They didn't know.

Lauren only nodded. Gandalf and Naomi were the next to rise and so began another day on the road to retrieving the Dwarven Company and beginning what Gandalf had called "The most amazing journey in history."

No one saw the eyes that flickered only just behind them, the eyes that had glinted and glittered in the firelight.

* * *

A.N. Okie dokie. I need to start hearing from you guys. I have no idea how this story is going over with everybody and I feel that as an Author i need to. I don't know if this is getting too dark for you because most of the first was very lighthearted and funny. If that's the case please, please let me know! I may well end up discontinuing this story if i don't feel that it's doing as well as it could...I'm sorry but that's the reality. I'm not going to spend my time on something that nobody likes and that's that.

Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this chapter( despite the annoyingly long A.N.) Until next we meet my Lovlies!


	5. Chapter 5 Bout Damn Time

Chapter 5. Twenty Beings of Varying Race and Gandalf

Gandalf sent a raven to the dwarves at midday, telling them to begin their trek to the home of one Master Baggins and that they should be on their best behavior. Naomi, Vivian and Lauren were to head off the first three dwarves on the path and strike up conversation, in the hopes that they would attach themselves to a key member of the group. Gandalf sent them on their way, promising the girls that it would be largely smooth sailing ahead.

_Lies._

* * *

It had been hours since the girls had split up along the path and Vivian had scratched out her third note to Thorin and the kids. Dark was falling and she wondered where the first member of the company was. Gravel crunched beneath heavy footfalls not far from her spot.

"Thank God." She muttered under her breath. Moments later she tore out from the trees and crashed abruptly in to a rather burly dwarf. He caught her in his arms deftly, pulling her into his arms and holding her to his chest when she tried to keep running.

"Oy, lass! What has you in such a rush?" Vivian could tell he was flustered but at least slightly amused.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just that I took a wrong turn and ended up in the woods. I was dreadfully lost and then something crashed and I-I-I just ran." Vivian tucked her head against the large dwarf's shoulder for extra effect. What? Shoulder? How? She wasn't kneeling…..Oh. Dammit Gandalf.

The dwarf placed a reassuring hand on her hip. "You're alright, now, Lass. Where were you headed?"

"The home of one Master Bilbo Baggins? Do you know the way? Or could you at least point me in the right direction?" Vivian had unconsciously summoned a slight mist over her eyes.

The dwarf let out a rumbling chuckle. "I happen to be on my way there. I could accompany you there, if you wished?"

"Yes, I think I'd like that very much, thank you." Vivian smlied at him in her most winning way. "What is your name, kind sir?"

He bowed to her. "Dwalin, son of Fundin. Yours?"

Vivian returned the bow. "I am Vivian, daughter of Susan."

Dwalin linked Vivian's arm with his and they continued down the path, deep in conversation.

* * *

After a while Lauren deployed a very similar tactic on the elderly dwarf, Balin. Not being quite the actress that Vivian was(read had more dignity) she didn't run pell-mell, and she didn't attempt to cry. Lauren did, however, play on her gender more than she would have normally. That is not to say that she made her clothing any more revealing than she generally would, no. She simply made the comment that she was only one woman, in an unfamiliar place, and having someone to walk with, at the very least, would be immensely comforting.

Balin being the type of dwarf that he was, did not deny the young woman anything.

* * *

Naomi waited in the brush at the fork in the road, only just controlling her laughter when her mother and aunt walked by on the arms of two befuddled-looking dwarves. She only had to wait a few minutes before not one, but _two _dwarves can amicably down the hill, jostling each other and laughing.

"Oh, but brother she was beautiful! You don't know, you couldn't understand…."

The voice. That voice.

Naomi tried with all of her might not to cry, but her freshly broken heart couldn't take it. She shuffled from the brush, and leaned against the signpost, tears streamed freely from her eyes.

"Damn, damn, damn. Can't hold yourself together for a few fucking minutes can you? Damn, damn, damn!" Naomi cursed under her breath at herself.

"Erm, pardon me? Are you alright?" Naomi looked up and into a pair of familiar, concerned, brown eyes. Rough fingers gently swiped across her cheeks, and just under her waterline.

Naomi sniffed and drew herself up. "I'm fine, thank you. Just a bit hopeless. Just a bit lost."

Kili's eyebrows raised just a bit and he moved to help her walk. "Where were you going, that you got so hopelessly lost?"

"Bag End? I was told by- well that doesn't matter, but I was headed to the home of Mr. Bilbo Baggins?" Naomi's eyes were stubbornly, and irritatingly, still misty.

The other dwarf, who up until this point Naomi had ignored, spoke finally. "As were we, would you like to walk the last piece of the journey with us?"

_Fili, _Naomi thought, _You're so much lighter in spirit. I miss you._ "I would very much like that. May I have your names, before we start?"

"Why of course! Fili," Said Fili, bowing, "And Kili. At your service."

"How nice to meet you, I'm Naomi." She smiled at them with all the affection she could muster.

Kili's eyes glinted. "Your name is as beautiful and unique as you are, if you don't think me too forward for saying so."

"Not at all." Naomi smiled again and roped her arms through Fili and Kili's. "That is as long as you don't think it too forward of me to ask why you are on your way to Bag End?"

Fili chuckled. "Not at all."

And so was conversation started between what would come to be known as the Tricksy Three.

* * *

Life at Bag End was not half so enjoyable. Dwalin and Vivian being the first through the door, they were less of a concern than Balin and Lauren. Bilbo came very close to having a heart attack when three more dwarves piled into his home and set about rearranging his furniture and devouring his food. Never had anyone been more thankful for a B-grade masseuse in all of the Shire.

"Ohhh. Just there! Oh! Oh! Lower…..Lower….YES! YES!"

More than one set of eyebrows had been raised during the last few moments, when Master Bilbo and Master Ben had disappeared into Bilbo's bedroom.

Naomi was the only one who was anything close to being comfortable with knocking on the door, and so she did.

Benny opened the door with a goofy grin.

"Keep your sexcapades down, you nympho." Naomi teased.

Benny blushed and chuckled. Bilbo cried to him from the general direction of the bed. "Benny! Who is that?"

"Just Naomi, I'll be there in a moment. Listen, girly, it's not what you think."

Rolling her eyes at the obvious evasion. "Then what is it?"

"Damn tense shoulders, and a damn loud Hobbit. Now go away, so I can finish my job." Benny smiled and stuck his tongue out at his best friend.

The front door was wrapped a few times, determinedly.

"DAMN, DAMN, DAMN." Was the roused cry from our Hobbit. "We'll just have to finish this later, Benny. Rest assured that there will be a later."

Benny picked Bilbo up and squeezed him gently. "Less pissed off. You'll hurt yourself that way."

Bilbo leaned back into him slightly. "Mmmh."

Naomi watched Benny for a few moments. "Tattoo?"

Benny flashed her his wrist. She nodded. "Looks freaking amazing. It's fading, my tattoo? I don't know why but I've been fading, I damn near can't see it."

Benny pulled her into his arms. "Just try to relax. It's not going to be easy for your aunt or your mom, especially not your aunt. I'll always be here. Just relax."

Naomi buried her face in his chest. "You say that like it's so easy. When I first saw him today I was crying, and he wiped away my tears. He doesn't know me and he _wiped away my tears_. He called me beautiful and unique and I just want to scream! I spent ten years, _ten fucking years_, waiting to come home to him. And now he's been taken from me and given back and just not the same. And-and-and…." Naomi stopped trying for coherence and just cried.

Suddenly Naomi heard someone calling her name and her mother's and Benny's. Gandalf. About Damn Time.

* * *

Omg I'm sooo sorry that this took so long but RL wreaked havoc on my writing life and I know it's not as long as it probably should be after like months of no updates! AHAHahahaI'm sooooooo super sorry! RnR? Please? Even if it's just to rip me a new one for not updating... I love you guys


	6. The Company

Chapter 6. The Company

Gandalf had summoned the four to the table for the third most hectic dinner ever in Vivian's memory. Food was everywhere, ale was everywhere, laughter and good cheer echoed through the halls of the none-too-tiny Hobbit Hole. Everyone, it seemed, with the exception of Bilbo, was having a great time; laughing when Bombur caught an egg in his mouth; looking on disgustedly as Ori, the youngest in the company, let out the longest, loudest belch.

Vivian stayed close to Dwalin, leaning slightly on his shoulder, placing her hand unwittingly close to his thigh. She wasn't trying to cheat on Thorin, she had married the man, after all, but Dwalin was a comfort to her. He would be her rock until she had Thorin again.

* * *

Lauren immediately took to Balin, Oin, and Dori. Throughout the evening she was always near one of them, usually Balin, because the other two had things being thrown at them. Lauren tried not to even look at Fili, after their initial introduction, the pain was just too much.

* * *

Naomi, Benny, and the Heirs also had a fairly immediate friendship. Something about the underlying youth of Fili and Kili, brought out the uncelebrated teenager in Benny and Naomi, and soon enough the four of them were engaged in a drinking contest. For the better part of a half an hour Naomi drank the Durin boys -Benny was an unbearable lightweight- under the table.

When she finally slammed her 23rd pint of ale down, none of her competition were _standing_ much less _coherent_. "You damn right!" She cried before, she too, fell on the floor, snoring and drooling.

When Gandalf came across the group of youngsters passed out drunk on the floor of Bilbo's third wine cellar he muttered an incantation and the four woke abruptly with, much to their surprise, only light headaches.

"You should all know better," He admonished, and when they looked appropriately shamefaced, he smiled. "However today is a day for merrymaking. Begone!"

They giggled and ran like children whose hands had been caught in a cookie jar.

"And no more ale! If I catch you with another pint I'll turn the lot of you into toads!" Gandalf called after them good naturedly.

* * *

Since the arrival of the largest party of dwarves poor Bilbo had done nothing but fret and worry over things like Great-Uncle Mungo's chair, and his mother's glory box. The straw that broke the Hobbit's psyche was his mother's best East Farthing pottery being thrown about like so many wooden balls! Then, of course, they -the dwarves that weren't throwing around his pottery- were blunting his silverware.

And. Singing.

Thank the Gods for masseuse Bondmates.

* * *

Naomi, Kili, and Fili were in the kitchen laughing with Gandalf and the others at the expression of gobsmacked, sheer relief on Bilbo's face. Well Naomi was laughing at the Alice-In-Wonderland butterflies on everyone's face, Bilbo's expression was secondary.

Gandalf scowled at Kili briefly, before muttering another incantation to clear Naomi's head of the effects of the pipeweed.

Naomi looked at Kili murderously, grabbing a potholder and beating him about the shoulders with it. "You! Knew! Alice! In! Wonderland! Butterflies! And! You! Knew!"

Kili took her hand and braced it behind her back, inadvertently bringing them intimately close together, smiling and laughing at her mock-outrage. "You did not have to take it! Why are you beating on me?"

Naomi bent her neck and head butted him in the sternum playfully, a scowl still twisting her mouth. "You. Knew."

Kili rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes, chuckling. Emotions welled in Naomi, and she broke away from him, only barely keeping her tears in check.

Benny, who had watched the exchange unfold caught her in his arms and just held her as she cried.

"I know. Shhhh. Shhh. It'll work out. You'll see." Benny's arm's around her were more of a comfort than his words, but Naomi appreciated the thought.

"I know. It just hurts. I didn't realize how much different of a person he'd become. I still love him. It just hurts."

"I'm always here for you." Benny rested his cheek on her head. "Hey, question?"

"Hmm?"

"When did you get so damn short?" Benny smiled at her.

Naomi smiled back, the obvious attempt to cheer her up working. "Have no idea, but I blame Gandalf."

"Me too."

* * *

A knock sounded just moments later. There was only one person it could be.

Thorin was here.

Naomi and Benny struggled through the group to stand beside Vivian and Lauren.

Gandalf introduced them and they each bowed, as they had been told to. Thorin eyed Benny with some apprehension, but seemed to find him satisfactory. A similar examination of the women did not yield quite the same acceptance.

"And what is purpose of the women? I see no reason to bring them along." Thorin's clipped remark stung.

Gandalf started to explain, but Vivian cut him off. "We are here as a favor to you, _My King_, Gandalf asked us to come to heighten the luck of this expedition."

She spoke with a certain venom and challenged him with her very tone. Thorin took an assertive step forward and Dwalin stepped with him, putting an arm on his shoulder. The look of shock and questioning that passed from the King to the warrior, was one that would have made them laugh in a less serious situation.

"Very well." He said grudgingly. "And this is our Hobbit? Tell me, Master Baggins have you done much fighting?"

Bilbo stuttered, gently brushing the hand at his shoulder with his fingertips. "Pardon me?"

"Axe or sword, which do you prefer?" Thorin's amusement seemed self-assured, like he had expected this answer.

Another shuddered pause before Bilbo spoke. "Well I have some skill at conkers, but I fail to see…why that's…relevant…"

Thorin shook his head slightly. "Thought as much. Looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

The Company shuffled back into the dining area and a bowl of soup was set in front of Thorin.

* * *

Naomi, Lauren, Vivian and Benny stepped outside for a brief moment.

"Fili told you about the quest didn't he, Ren?" Vivian asked Lauren gently, sitting down with her on the front steps and putting an arm around her waist.

Lauren nodded. "I can remember most of the story, are we going to tell the kids?"

"I thought we should." Vivian looked up at Naomi and Benny. "They're telling Bilbo about it now, and I thought that you both should have the knowledge of the story and events that go with staying with our Bondmates. Now understand that we don't have the "choice" that Bilbo has, in going or staying. We have to go in order to fix our Bonds and this journey will not be easy. There will be perils and you will have to fight for your life, and the lives of others. If our Bondmates die, then we, and the children, and our entire existence will cease, and it will re-happen as though we were never there. Mithrandir has told me that all we have to do, to restore our lives, is get our Bondmates to fall back in love with us."

Vivian paused for breath, her look on the teens before her intensified as she continued.

"We each must kiss our Bondmate at least once, after they've fallen in love with us and our lives will resume in our time and place. Dying ourselves in this world _will _cost us our lives, and the lives of the children. Do. Not. Throw. Away. Your. Life. This isn't a game. I don't know how else to put it to you, but this is not a game. You _can _die. And if you're stupid about the risks you take you _will die._ I know how hard this sounds, but it's the truth, and you have to realize that_ now_."

* * *

HEY! Uber quickie update! I wasn't entirely happy with it but I figure that i should give you guys a break from loooong update waits by doing some rapid-fire updates! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and RnR! I love you all so much for reading.


	7. The Laughing Clown From Nightmare Town

Chapter 7. Laughing Clown From Nightmare Town

Vivian took Lauren inside shortly after her little speech to the kids. Naomi just sat, sort of dumbstruck and frozen, on the steps with Benny for a time.

"You gonna be okay?" Benny asked gently, pulling her closer to his side.

"Eventually. I- I'm just confused and I don't know how to do this. I want to be close to him, but the _memories_. The memories that I have of him, the happy ones, the not-so-happy ones, they press in just as I get comfortable and break my bubble. It's like I'm determined to hurt myself." Naomi sounded so broken, so lost that Benny couldn't resist picking her up and putting her on the step between his knees. Naomi understood what he was doing, and she leaned back against him, taking warmth and comfort from the solidity of his being around her.

Benny rested his chin on the top of her head. "Why not try just being in now? I know that's one thing easier said than done, but if you keep letting memories, happy or otherwise, take over your life, you're not going to get anywhere. I love you, Mi, and I don't like watching you hurt yourself. Or extremely hot, not-quite-ex- boyfriends."

Naomi wiped a hand across her eyes. "What?"

She could feel Benny's eye roll from the top of her head. "The poor darling looked like a kicked puppy after you left! You're telling me you didn't notice?"

"I was kinda busy crying!" Naomi replied in mock-outrage.

Benny flicked her nose. "Selfish bitch."

"Clingy queer."

"Love you too." Benny sighed.

"You know I do." Naomi leaned further into his arms, just resting, allowing herself to relax and be comfortable.

"Lady Naomi?" A tentative voice from the door behind them startled them both.

Naomi got up and saw the young lad, Ori. "Yes, Master Ori? What is it?"

Ori's eyes flicked briefly between Naomi and Benny. "Lady Vivian would like to see you."

"Thank you, Master Ori." Naomi smiled at him.

Ori blushed adorably. "Just Ori, if you wouldn't mind."

"Very well, Just Ori."

Naomi ruffled his hair and trotted off to find Vivian.

Benny sighed, and strode off in search of his Bondmate.

* * *

Lauren was in the kitchen attending to a small pot of chocolate pudding. She knew that she was fortunate that Bilbo had the ingredients she'd required. Lauren had just added the unsweetened chocolate and milk and the warming chocolate had a delicious aroma. She vaguely heard someone enter the kitchen just as she blended the egg yolks, butter and vanilla, effectively finishing her pudding. Lauren moved the softly-bubbling pot of pudding to the cool burner to her left, and nearly spilled it!

Fili had put his hand over hers to guide it from the stove to the potholder that he'd put just a little bit further to the left. When she felt that familiar calloused palm over the back of her hand, she had jumped unexpectedly and had almost flung the delicious-smelling stuff all over the kitchen. Moving with practice, Fili moved his hand underneath the handle, brushing aside her hand with his thumb, and placed the scalding hot pot on the counter.

During this Fili's other arm had wrapped itself around Lauren's waist and pulled her against him, the top of her head just above the line of his shoulder. Fili looked down on her for a moment, and she returned his gaze. Blue eyes held blue until Lauren moved up on her toes just slightly to brush her lips with his. Fili let his eyes close and their chaste kiss quickly turned passionate. Lauren was lifted onto the countertop, tangling her fingers into Fili's golden mane, and wrapping her legs tightly about his torso. Fili braced one hand on the counter top, the other, wrapped firmly about her waist. He gave in to the gentle pull of Lauren's hands in his hair, begging him to tilt his head up. Lauren moaned lowly, moving one hand to cup Fili's face. Fili, using the hand around her waist, pulled Lauren closer to him, nearly moving her off the counter entirely.

Dwalin cleared his throat emphatically, and the couple broke their kiss to glare at him.

"Yes? What is it?" Fili was entirely finished with being interrupted.

"The lady has been requested." Dwalin was just barely keeping the smile out of his voice.

"By whom?" He asked. By Mahal if it was anyone less than Thorin, or the Lady Vivian, Lauren would not be going anywhere.

"The Lady Vivian."

Fili groaned and rested his head on Lauren's chest, and Lauren ran a hand over his hair. "Thank you, Master Dwalin. I'll be just a moment."

Dwalin nodded and returned to the sitting room, where the rest of the dwarves were gathered. Lauren tilted Fili's chin up. "We'd better go."

Fili looked up at her, longing in his eyes. " Just a while longer, please."

Lauren smiled. "I want you to taste this. Let me down, so I can get a spoon."

Fili lifted Lauren to the floor and she shuffled through drawers until she found a medium-sized silver spoon and dipped it into the mixture.

Fili allowed the spoon to be pushed past his lips and his eyes rolled back in ecstasy. "Ohh, Mahal what is that?"

"Chocolate pudding." Lauren smiled playfully. "We have to go now, but I'll make sure we have some of this on the trip."

"Sounds heavenly."

Another quick kiss was shared and Lauren left the kitchen, in search of Vivian and Naomi.

* * *

Naomi was starting to worry about her mom. It'd been ten minutes since Dwalin had told them that she had been notified. For some reason he had been grinning like the cat that got the cream.

Lauren finally came through the door, flushed and smiling.

"What has you so well off?" Benny asked incredulously, since the start of this journey Lauren had very rarely been anything but melancholy, and now she had an enormous grin on her face? Da Hell?

"Chocolate pudding." Returned Lauren, cryptically.

Vivian looked irritated at Benny and Lauren. "Cryptic replies aside we have some paperwork. I assume that we've all decided to go?"

The assembled people nodded. "Good. We need to pack tonight and get some rest. I don't care where you sleep but we will need sleep. It's a long journey ahead." Vivian took Naomi aside and wrapped her in a hug. "I love you. Don't forget that."

"I love you too, Auntie."

* * *

Later that night, as Benny lay asleep with his Hobbit, the girls in the center of a more-or-less puppy pile of dwarves, Naomi, Lauren and Vivian twitched within the throes of dreams.

* * *

_**Weeks had passed, and Ami was running out of ideas. People were noticing them and asking questions. They had to find a place to stay and quickly. **_

"_**Mother would've known what to do." Ami whispered to herself, as she stood watch over her little band, sleeping in an alley. She couldn't help but feel pride, Charlie and Lilli had done beautifully for never having experienced living like this. Not that Ami and her brothers and sister had ever been truly left alone like this either but Father had prepared them for many eventualities. They still had most of the food and all of the weaponry, but what good would all of that be when the snow fell? It wouldn't be long before it did. **_

_**The next day Ami led The Band into the woods just outside of town, and they looked for things to build a shelter; good wood, moss for insulation, an even spot to build on, and especially natural food and water sources. It was the second day of being in the woods that Charlie came running to Ami, excitedly chattering about an abandoned cabin just down the hill. **_

"_**Take me." She told him. Charlie took her by the hand and led her through the woods, just down the hill, and maybe fifty yards away there was a cabin. It appeared abandoned, and upon exploration proved unused. **_

"_**Amazing." Ami murmured.**_

"_**Is it good?" Charlie asked hopefully.**_

_**Ami laughed and hugged her cousin tightly. "It's amazing, little one! Thank you!"**_

_**Charlie blushed. "No problem. Let's go get everybody else?"**_

_**Ami looked at the cabin again. "Yeah."**_

_**As the pair ran off to bring the other children to their find, a pair of pale blue -almost white- eyes followed them. A dark chuckle rang through the forest, chilling to the bone. **_

_**The Voice spoke to the DreamWalkers. "Soon I'll have your children. Soon, Durin-dams."**_

* * *

The three women woke with a scream.

"AZOG!" Vivian shouted, realizing what was to happen to her children while they were on the quest. Thorin and Dwalin were awake and by her side before the word had left her mouth. Dwalin held her, and Thorin looked at her with uncharacteristic concern.

"What was that name?" He asked, forcefully. Vivian buried her face into Dwalin's shoulder, shaking her head. Dwalin's protective grip, and warning look, encouraged the king to leave it alone, for the time being.

Lauren cried out, tears pricking her eyes. "NO! My babies! YOU MONSTER!"

Fili was by her side quickly and he enveloped her in himself, arms around her shaking shoulders, holding her as she curled into his chest. He petted her hair and gently quieted her as she cried.

Kili and Benny were beside Naomi within seconds of her tortured scream. Benny picked her up and had her in his lap before Kili could ask -verbally at least- what the matter was. Naomi wriggled away from Benny and into Kili's embrace. Kili tangled his hands in her hair and rocked her, humming the melody of a lullaby his mother had sung him. "Shhhh. It's okay. It'll be alright."

Benny looked at her protectively, pinning Kili with a look and stood to leave.

Naomi whimpered. "Benny don't go. Please."

Kili let her lay on the floor and she reached up for Benny. He took the hint and laid down beside her. "It's okay, sweet thing. Stay with Kili. I'll be here in the morning."

Benny stood up again, and looked Kili straight in the eyes. "Take care of her, Durinson. I'll trust you tonight."

* * *

A.N. Ahmmmmm. Yeah... RnR?


	8. The Road Goes Ever On And On

Chapter 8. The Road Goes Ever On And On

The next morning Vivian was awake bright and early. She hadn't actually gone back to sleep, comforting as Dwalin's arms were. Thorin was the only one functionally awake when Vivian decided that a cup of tea would be rather nice, and extracted herself from the warrior's hold.

"Good morning." She said, conversationally. When a noncommittal grunt was her only answer, Vivian continued. "Most people find that a reply is polite. But then you're a king, aren't you? No need for petty things like manners."

Thorin looked sideways at her. "If I reply would you leave me be?"

Vivian allowed herself a triumphant grin into her cup. "One way to find out isn't there?"

Exasperation clear in his features, Thorin turned to her. "Good morning, Lady Vivian."

"Thank you." Vivian said, trying not to laugh. She had a conversation very similar to this with her son, Alex. He had decided that, because he was a prince of Erebor, wouldn't have to use his manners, or do chores. Alex had manipulated his brother and the younger of his sisters into doing his chores and he'd used manners, mostly, when dealing with her and Thorin, but outside of his parent's watch he'd become an entitled little monster. That had been very quickly dealt with.

The thought of her son brought back last night's dream. The children, all of them, were in such terrible danger, an, and there was nothing she could do. Her breath hitched, just this side of a dry sob, and Thorin looked up.

"Are you well?" His voice was gruff, but Vivian had lived with the man for ten years, and knew better than that.

"Just afraid for my children."

Thorin looked curiously down at his boots for a moment. "What was the name?"

Vivian raised her eyebrows. "Pardon?"

"Last night? You yelled a name, what was it?"

"Oh. I- the name was Azog." Vivian looked past Thorin's shoulder for a moment.

"And how do you know of this evil?" Oh, dear. She'd forgotten how Thorin could be when he wanted an answer, his eyes showed more emotion than his face ever would.

"It's a rather long story."

"We have time. This journey of ours is going to be no small affair." Thorin looked intrigued now.

"Very well." But even as she said it Kili woke with Naomi, and Naomi bounded over to wrap her arms around Vivian's shoulders.

"Good morning, Uncle." Kili said, jovial for someone who had just woken.

Thorin looked under his eyebrows at him. "Good morning, Nephew. Good morning, Lady Naomi."

Naomi blushed. "Good morning to you as well, Master Thorin, but please just call me Naomi."

Thorin almost smiled. "As you will, Naomi."

Naomi took Kili about the wrist and took him into the kitchen, giggling when the young prince's stomach growled.

"Girl, you must be a mind-reader!" Kili exclaimed in amazement.

Naomi allowed another giggle to bubble out. "Hardly! Just a stomach-reader."

Kili chuckled enthusiastically.

Vivian, who sat in the sitting room, still listening to the exchange, laughed. Oh to be young again.

Thorin, who was watching Vivian, spoke. "Judging by your expression we've just had the same thought."

"Oh, to be young again." They said together, unusually in-sync.

Balin laughed from his perch on the wine barrel, in the corner. "You two sprouts have no room to speak about being young again! I've lived through countless battles! Eaten at countless feasts! Had countless- well now that I think on it I _can_ count the number of Dwarrow lasses I've had. On one hand!"

Thorin looked at Balin as though he'd just confessed to being the consort of Smaug. "Balin!"

"What? Are such things not said by Dwarves of _my_ age? Well forgive me for acting _your_ age!"

Thorin was flabbergasted, even at his most inebriated Balin hadn't spoken like this! "Balin!"

"Oh, stop! I know you've heard worse from the tavern wenches of Men. Don't even!"

Thorin got up and walked over to Balin, gently extracting his pipe from his hand. One sniff confirmed his suspicions.

"Mushrooms."

* * *

Not so very much later the Dwarven Company was all packed and loaded onto ponies. Thorin had made the arrangement that, since the _original_ plan had only required fourteen ponies and two mules, the three girls would be on a rotation, Vivian was to be with Thorin, or Dwalin, Naomi with Kili, Fili, or Bofur, Lauren with Fili, Balin, Oin, Gloin or Bombur. Bilbo had his own pony, and Gandalf had a horse for Benny.

That day Vivian was with Thorin, riding, as well one should, between him and the saddle horn, and leaning back on him ever so slightly.

"Lady Vivian?" Thorin tried not to sound tentative

"Mmm?"

"Your story? I think that it would be best to tell it while we ride."

"Of course. I suppose I shall start from the beginning, when I met my husband, though I did not know that he was to be my husband for some time. Well "met" is putting it nicely. He was dumped on my bed. Our first time seeing each other was punctuated by a screaming match and him being tied to my bed."

Thorin chuckled.

Vivian continued. "You laugh, but he was so angry! No one had had the pluck to stand up to him in a long while. He had worked his way from roy- from great riches, and good breeding to the lowest reaches of poverty, and he was trying to bring honor back to his family name. It took great courage and strength on his part and on the part of his friends, the people who helped him on his way. On this journey my husband fell in love with a woman who did not return his affections. When he had reclaimed his home and asked her to stay she declined and left, never to see him again. To get to the point the was hailed as a war hero, and made the ruler of the rest of his vast people, and rather than stepping up and taking care of his people, my husband drowned himself in drink and women, bemoaning his own misfortune."

Thorin scoffed. "Horrid way to deal with problems, that. You said that he'd just regained his home? And ignored his people and their needs to drown himself in drink because of _one _woman? _I_ would never bring my self that low!"

Vivian smiled. "Don't be so sure. He said that at one time too. Anyway, an old mutual friend of ours brought him to my home at the time, with a mere note asking me to allow him to live with me, and help him right himself. I won't give you details but he and I did not have the smoothest of relationships for the first few days. We were both tense, and we both have tempers. It was not very pretty at first. After some time I decided that a trip to the market would be a good idea. In short, while wandering the market, I was kidnapped by my father, who was -in a way- a servant of Azog. My husband saved me and it was then that we began falling in love, slowly but surely."

"A woman like you took _time_? I never thought that you would be that patient."

Thorin's gentle ribbing warmed Vivian in a way that could hardly be explained. As she continued her story, Thorin throwing in a remark here and there, until she got to the point at which Naomi -under the guise of "Cherie"- was captured. Thorin looked around for a good spot to camp, as it had been getting slowly darker for some time.

"We will camp here for the night." Thorin said, distributing orders to Naomi, Fili and Kili to attend to the ponies, and to Nori, Gloin, and Bofur to gather firewood. Bombur went immediately to the black pot so large it could only be accurately described as a cauldron, and began taking spices and potatoes from the packs around it. Lauren came close and asked politely if there was any way she could help.

Bombur smiled up at her. "Aye, lass. Bring me about a bucketful of the water from the spring and we'll have a nice soup!"

Lauren nodded and rushed off with the indicated bucket, and found the babbling spring. She dipped the bucket in against the current and hurried back to Bombur, managing somehow to spill only a small amount.

"Thank'ee." Bombur said, cutting potatoes distractedly.

"Anything else?" Lauren inquired.

"Could ye finish cutting up these spuds for me? I cannae seem to remember wha' I've done with the stock!"

"Sure thing!" Lauren happily complied. Bombur rifled around in the packs for a few more moments, pulling out other essentials for a stew: carrots, whole garlic and some dried chives, in addition to the beef stock.

Lauren had finished cutting up the potatoes and watched Bombur add in spices and some onion that he'd chopped when Lauren was getting water.

"Do you have a family, Master Bombur?"

He smiled over the soup. "Aye, I do. A wife and twelve children. Naina (NAY-nuh) was pregnant with twins just before I left."

"Twelve. Holy Shit." Lauren was awed.

"Fourteen by the time I get home. Hopefully girls. I'd like to have girls." Bombur looked wistfully down at the pot.

Lauren looked at him inquiringly. "Twelve children and no girls? How?"

"Our race don't produce females much. The ones that we do have are treasures, coveted and fought for. I'd like at least one."

Lauren heard her name called across the clearing, just by the edge of the cliff. "Bombur, it's been wonderful talking to you. Don't hesitate to ask me for any help with meals. Or with anything for that matter."

"Take care, lass. Next time we meet you'll have to explain to me that 'pudding' stuff. Prince Fili made it sound like it was flavored with gold."

Lauren laughed. "I will."

* * *

That night Lauren, Naomi, Fili and Kili were set on watch. Aside from a small instance with Bilbo, in which Balin explained, to Bilbo, Naomi, and Benny at least, why Thorin hated Orcs, the evening had passed without incident.

Bilbo soon fell back to sleep in the arms of his Bondmate, dreaming already of warm hearth and a good, filling dinner.

Kili, who was sitting and carving while supposed to be on watch, finished the wooden pendant that he'd been working on since Thorin's company had left the Blue Mountains. He hadn't really thought about why he was taking such pains to make this pendant as close to perfect as possible, or who he was going to give it to when it was done. Kili contemplated the rosewood twists. In the Blue Mountains three twists meant three things: promise, love, and bond, and Kili couldn't figure out why he had made it.

Naomi yawned and laid her head on Kili's shoulder. "What's got you thinking so hard?"

Kili smiled, realization having dawned ever-so-lightly on his conscious and subconscious. "Thoughts."

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Cryptic Dwarf."

"You go and sleep if you like. Fili and I can handle watch." Kili said after Naomi yawned again.

"M'kay." Naomi stood and stretched, turning to Kili and giving him a half-hug before sleepily finding her bedroll.

Kili couldn't help but smile at her already dozing form, he looked down at the pendant in his hand and made up his mind, absentmindedly scratching his right hip. He had made it for Naomi.

* * *

A.N. I know I took some time to update, but this is also the single-biggest chapter I've ever written. I hope that this chapter was okay. I'm hoping that someone catches onto why Kili was scratching at his _Right hip_.


	9. Temporary, I Promise

Hey guys. I know this wasn't exactly the update you all were expecting, but I have some sad news. My dear, faithful laptop of seven years has finally decided to pass on. That is to say the motherboard cracked on the damn thing and I'm not willing to pay the disgusting amount of cash to get it fixed. Ergo, until PFD's come out and I get paid, this story is on a temporary hiatus. I have a notebook and I'm going to keep writing, but I won't be able to post for two months at the most. I hope that people choose to stay with this story, and I. Thank you everybody for your support up to this point, and I promise it will only be a bit longer before I'm back and have the (hopefully) happy ending that you've all waited for. Feel free to leave suggestions for the general storyline in a review!

Love and Best Wishes

Goodbye for the Moment

~Isildur's Heiress


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